June 25, I860.] ADDITIONAL NOTICES. 247 



of plunder in the plain. Next morning I found that the Kumuks and Nogai 

 Tatars had sought shelter round the fort, and pitched their tents under 

 the range of the cannon of Kazi-Yurt, the commandant of which came to 

 announce the unwelcome intelligence that he could not allow me to continue 

 my journey until the coast was clear, namely, as soon as a sufficient number 

 of Cossacks had been collected from the different posts of the cordon-line to 

 force the marauders back into their fastnesses. 



My captivity lasted but a few days, of which I had nothing to regret, as I 

 spent it in the pleasant company of the commander of the fort and his good 

 lady, Mr. and Mrs. Bibikoff. The exposed station this distinguished young 

 officer occupied was by no means a sinecure. He had to be constantly on 

 the watch against any sudden attacks of the enemy, and soon after arriving 

 at St. Petersburg the melancholy report reached me that he had fallen a 

 victim to the sword of the enemy. What became of his poor wife, I am 

 ignorant. A short time previous to my visit, the post-stations which had 

 been established between Kazi-Yiirt and the town of Kislar, on the banks of 

 the Terek, leading to Astrakhan, had been destroyed, the postilions killed, 

 and the horses carried away into the mountains, so that I had to hire my 

 cattle from the soldiers of the garrison to take me as far as Kislar, some 

 hundred miles distant. But how could I evince any misgivings for my safety, 

 when I had for my guide on the coach-box of a very primitive sort of vehicle, 

 with three horses abreast, the wife of one of the garrison men, — the high- 

 spirited and intrepid Maria Parlovna? Indifference to danger is often the 

 result of habit, and I have had occasion more than once to witness the wives, 

 sisters, and daughters of the military men in the Caucasus, even mothers, 

 evince a degree of courage and composure in moments of danger, of which one 

 would suppose them incapable if they were less accustomed to look danger in 

 the face. This reminds me of an instance of which I was a witness in 

 the very localities through which we are at present threading our way, and 

 which I may venture therefore to relate as being in harmony with the couleur 

 locale. 



When in the heart of the Daghestan Mountains, I visited a fort which had 

 lately been erected on the Sulakh to keep in check a rather turbulent Lesghi 

 aul or village some thousand families strong, and who were far from being 

 reconciled to their present lot. In order to show me the lions of the place, my 

 hospitable host proposed taking a ride to the village, which was at some dis- 

 tance. Several young officers of the garrison volunteered to be of our party ; 

 but I was rather surprised, when the son of the commandant — a mere boy of 

 nine or ten years old — expressed a wish to accompany us, that his mother 

 readily acceded to his request. I do not undertake to affirm whether the ma- 

 ternal heart felt as much composed as the outward features of the countenance 

 seemed to imply, but the veteran major was evidently pleased both with the 

 mother and the son. We crossed the Sulakh by a stone bridge thrown over 

 the deep ravine through which the river winds its impetuous course, and 

 threaded up a steep ascent, having to our right and left hanging gardens enclosed 

 between high stone walls, — Cherkey is known for its vineyards. On reaching 

 the platform on the summit we were soon surrounded by the male population 

 of the village, with countenances anything but prepossessing. We then begged 

 leave to see the interior of some of their sakli or houses, to which they con- 

 ducted us rather reluctantly. As we entered, the women receded into the 

 interior apartments ; only some children, with very expressive eyes, stared at 

 our intrusion. The greater part of the aul was in a dilapidated state ; many 

 of the houses — mostly of slate, sandstone, and boulders — had crumbled by the 

 effect of the cannon when the place had been reduced to obedience, but the 

 inhabitants had not yet had the leisure or the heart to rebuild their dwellings. 



On returning to the maidan or open square, we found the villagers in rather 



